CHAMBERSBURG - The Chambersburg Area school board on Wednesday reversed its vote on a Gay-Straight Alliance at Chambersburg Area Senior High School a month after it blocked the club's formation.

The board narrowly approved the club by a 5-4 vote.

Board member Carl Barton reversed his initial vote on Feb. 27, when he helped reject the club. Also voting to approve the club Wednesday were Anne Boryan, Philip Miracle, Kim Amsley-Camp and Joan Smith.

Board President Stanley Helman and members Norman Blowers, Joe Tosten and Fred Rice did not vote to approve.

Barton read a statement prior to asking the board to rescind the previous vote. The board voted to rescind the decision by a 5-4 vote.

"There is no question that this board has a right and responsibility to approve and regulate non-curricular clubs," said Barton. "Like any other action of the board, a decision to approve or not approve can sometimes be followed by revelations that come to light only after the vote and challenge original assumptions upon which the decision was made."

Barton also said there is a need at CASHS for both a multicultural society and a GSA.

Originally, some board members said the multicultural society could fill the needs of students interested in a GSA.

"At the time that the vote not to approve the Gay-Straight Alliance was taken, a majority of this board, myself included, believed that the long-standing Cultural Society of CASHS and the proposed Gay-Straight Alliance of CASHS served the same constituency and advanced the same purpose of reducing prejudice, discouraging discrimination and enhancing tolerance at CASHS," Barton said.

A multicultural society founder, Letrell Crittenden, told Public Opinion this week that the club created in 1996 was not designed to serve the needs of the GSA population.